The Malaria Burden
- There were 247 million global cases of malaria in 2021.
- Malaria disproportionately affects children under five and those residing in rural areas.
- Approximately 92% of malaria cases and 93% of malaria deaths are within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
- In 2021 the WHO Africa Region was home to 95% of all malaria cases and 96% of deaths.
- The estimated number of malaria deaths stood at 619 000 in 2021.
- In Africa, children under 5 years of age accounted for around 80% of all malaria deaths.
- Every minute in sub-Saharan Africa a child dies from malaria. The region accounts for approximately 93% of all malaria deaths globally.
Source: World Malaria Report 2022 (click to download)
LONGEVITY and malaria
The malaria burden can be reduced by tackling the issue of non-adherence to current malaria prevention regimens which require taking many tablets, and adding new tools to the control strategies currently available.
The LONGEVITY Project will deploy a long-acting injectable prophylactic which provides protection from malaria with just one injection a year. This will simplify drug delivery to improve adherence, reduce transmission rates and support future strategies to eliminate the disease.